Saturday, February 18, 2017

BULLETS ARE FLYING! - FORBIDDEN BY F. STONE

Year 2047, City of Samarra,
capital of the Republic of Islamic Provinces & Territories

Fifteen American travelers have
vanished. Surrendering to Mayor Aamir's demands, Captain Sharif becomes the
reluctant keeper of his city’s bloody secret – and the witness, Eliza MacKay.
The devout Muslim is horrified to discover that if he exposes the cover-up, his
family will suffer dire consequences.

The CIA has the lying Sharif in
their cross hairs. Sharif’s only hope is to prove his country's government is
free of guilt. Secretly, he hunts forensic evidence. Cryptic messages,
backstabbing informants, and corruption threaten Sharif’s resolve to see
justice served. When he discovers the shocking truth, he and MacKay become the
targets of a ruthless killer.

Sharif is tortured by his
attraction to the impetuous Eliza MacKay. In spite of her struggle with PTSD,
he’s drawn to her vivacious personality. Islam forbids the intimacy he craves.
In desperation to save Eliza, Sharif plots an act most forbidden and fatal.

ΩΩΩ

MY REVIEW:

One of my favorite things about
this book is the dedication. Once you read that you’ll know the heart of
Forbidden.

Set in the year 2047, politics
and religion combine to create a volatile atmosphere for a coup. Police Captain
Hashim Sharif meets a feisty Eliza MacKay, after the brutal murders of her
companions. Working to expose the truth becomes a dangerous journey through
betrayal, government corruption, and multiple assassination attempts.

The setting, the politics, but
especially the principles and faith of the lead character, Captain Sharif is
both heartwarming and a breath of fresh air. His Islamic faith, intelligently
described, features prominently in the story as Eliza MacKay tests his virtue,
and he proves her determination.

Despite fighting PTSD, Eliza
MacKay surprises her protector every step of the way. No wilting flower, Eliza
starts out fighting and continues the fight all the way to the last page.

If I have any criticism, it’s
that I wish a few of the key players had been mentioned earlier in the novel.
Still, I highly recommend Forbidden, a novel that is superbly written, with
well-crafted characters, a twisting plot, and non-stop action.

James Patterson says to write a
novel as if it’s a movie playing out for the reader. Ms. Stone does this
beautifully.

Truly suspenseful this intriguing
novel tells a sweet love story and has the kind of ending you’ll love. Kudos,
Ms. Stone!

On our cattle ranch, when an
animal was in distress or injured, I was put in charge of nursing it back to
health. Never mind that I was just a kid and hated the sight of blood, but I
had to muster up the courage to apply home remedies. My survival rate was
pretty good. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that I would progress to
nursing – humans. After one year into nurses training, I bolted. Bed pans and
chronic diseases pushed me in different direction; a career of dealing with
drug addicts, murder, suicide, fatalities, and biker gangs. In 1983 I graduated
with honors as a paramedic and worked in the City of Edmonton’s Emergency
Services.

For the next twenty years, I came
face to face with scenes most people would rather not think about. I loved it.
Having experienced life in the most deadly and gut wrenching events, and work
alongside the police service, I gained the fodder for creating intense novels.

My first novel, The Guardian’s
Wildchild, was published by Omnific Publishing in 2011. The setting is on a
naval ship, under the command of a surely man who is under suspicion of
treason. When a battered woman is brought to his ship for execution, he has no
idea that she is about to turn his disciplined life into chaos – and that she
is no ordinary woman. The Guardian’s Wildchild has a rating of 4.1 at Amazon.

Hi Judy! Hi Yolanda! I've already got my copy of Forbidden and hope to read it soon. I've read some excerpts and they are well written and exciting. I wish you every good wish for your book tour and sales, Judy.

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